Friday, 12 May 2017

Elbow Pain

The elbow is a joint formed where three bones come together. It lets you throw, swing and lift objects. If anything happens to this joint, it could result in elbow pain.

Elbow pain is mostly as a result of over exertion. Repetitive hand or wrist movements are associated with sports, jobs and day to day tasks. If you are heavily involved in lifting objects and swinging objects such as rackets and golf clubs, you could easily be prone to experiencing elbow pain. In some other cases, elbow pain may be as a result of diseases.

Causes of Elbow Pain

Common causes of elbow pain range from diseases to fractures. The elbow is less prone to wear and tear than many other joints but is still susceptible to injury.

Some of these causes include tennis elbow, arthritis in its various forms which include rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, bursitis, a broken arm, golfer’s elbow, stress fractures, tendinitis and sprains, and strains.

Strains and Fractures

Sometimes, one could end up with a dislocated or fractured elbow. If one of the bones forming the elbow gets knocked out of place it will result in a dislocated elbow. When this occurs, it is best to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

A fractured elbow is as a result of one of the bones breaking and this will require immediate medical attention as well. Sprains and strains are also quite common causes of elbow pain. A strain is caused by a muscle tear when too much pressure is exerted onto elbow muscles when lifting objects or playing sports.

Tennis Elbow

Common diagnoses of elbow pain are tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. This is dependent on the location of the pain. Elbow pain diagnosed as tennis elbow is a condition that can develop over time due to repetitive motions. People affected by tennis elbow include those in the professions of painting, plumbing, typing, and carpentry. People who enjoy playing tennis, squash, and weightlifting are also subject to tennis elbow. This will result in more stress applied to the tendons and could result in an injury.

Treatment of elbow pain can be simple and easy resulting in reduced pain and the ability to perform tasks with much more ease.

Diseases

An example of a disease that can cause elbow pain is arthritis. Arthritis can come in form of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common to occur in the elbow and can cause this joint to swell. Osteoarthritis occurs when a cartilage in the elbow breaks down causing the bones to rub together and this, in turn, causes pain.

Diagnosing Elbow Pain

Diagnosis is done by a medical professional through any one of the following methods: the use of CT scans, physical examination and study of medical history, x-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and conducting a biopsy of bursa fluid.

These methods will help identify the cause of elbow pain and identify a mode of treatment to ease the pain.

Treating Elbow Pain

The steps involved in the treatment of elbow pain include identifying the location of the pain, identifying the cause and eventually seeking medical assistance to help start the healing process.

Get a head start on treating your elbow pain to prevent it from being more painful and unbearable. The treatment may involve surgery or medicine and can sometimes include simple remedies and exercises.

Exercises

Gentle stretching is one way to reduce elbow pain as long as it is done carefully. Stretching in a pain-free manner helps improve your motion overall and improves blood flow to help speed up the healing process. Perform these stretches 3-5 times in a day to reduce elbow pain. Do not rush this process. If you experience pain after stretching, use some ice to help ease the pain and put your elbow to rest.

Counterforce Braces

Elbow braces are commonly used to prevent injuries and also to help in healing elbow injuries or reducing elbow pain. These braces help in dissipating the force from the muscles before it can get to the point of elbow pain. The brace should fit accurately; it should not be too tight such that it prevents blood circulation. Acquiring an elbow brace can be upon recommendation from a doctor after diagnosis.

Ice Or Heat

Placing some ice on the injured area for a period of about 15 minutes in a day can help reduce the swelling and pain. This can be done at least once a day to help with the treatment process.

Applying heat to the area affected can help improve blood flow thus speeding up the healing process. Be sure to avoid direct heat contact with the skin and instead use a hot pack. Place this around the elbow and forearm area to treat the elbow pain.

Prevention Measures

To prevent any causes of elbow pain, it is important to sometimes take breaks from repetitive tasks to help strengthen the muscles around this joint. Be sure to warm up adequately, stretch as regularly as possible and correct any wrong techniques being used during sports or when lifting objects. Consult a doctor to advise on other preventive mechanisms that you can use to help in preventing elbow pain.

Recovery

Do not rush the recovery process when healing from injuries that cause elbow pain. The extent of damage differs with each person and so does the healing rate. Once you are properly healed you should be able to lift or grip objects and even flex with much more ease and without experiencing any elbow pain. The elbow will no longer be swollen or inflamed thus signifying that you have now recovered and can return to your former level of activity. Just be sure to not over exert yourself.